Taps



A. F. WIGLEY Sept. 30, 1969 TAPS Filed May 10. 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4. 1V/f .ailnnlllIllllllllllllllliillll.

fT/WW Sept 30, 1969 A. F. WIGLEY 3,469,598

TAPS

Filed May 10, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4o 3Q 4b f Q75/ L 45g, 42 i 4l 4s A bo A so '43 38 r 5| 47 ss s4 A 53 bb b9 bs i I@ 21% sg 59 b9 l I l S7 M b4 3| aol SePt- 30 1969 A. F. wlGLl-:Y 3,469,598

mea may 1o. 196e s sheets-sheet s Hg] 7b 91 87 49 E F/g.6. g 75 -ab a ab 77 a9 `92 93 83. kv7b 79 82 82 7e `8| s4 f77 94 as s 82 United States Patent O 3,469,598 TAPS Albert Fletcher Wigley, Middleton Lodge, Lower Middleton St., Ilkeston, England Filed May 10, 1966, Ser. No. 548,915 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 11, 1965, 19,750/ 65 Int. Cl. E03c 1/044 U.S. Cl. 137-334 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A control valve for a domestic water supply system including a cold water inlet, an outlet leading to a thermal storage heater, an inlet for the supply of hot water from the heater and a discharge outlet, with a valve closure member for controlling the water flow.

This invention relates to control valves and is more particularly concerned with control valves of the kind which include means controlling the ow of liquid to a thermal storage tank from which the heated liquid flows to a discharge outlet.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or improved form of such a control valve which is hereinafter referred to as a control valve of the kind specified. It is to be understood that the term control valve as used in this specification includes a tap.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a control valve which can be used separate from a discharge outlet. It is also an object of the invention to provide a control valve which includes a discharge outlet to which water is fed from the storage tank so that the control valve functions as a tap.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a new or improved form of spray attachment for use with a control valve and the spray attachment is particularly designed to ensure that, when expansion water flows from the storage tank through the outlet of a tap in which the attachment is tted, the flow of water should not be prevented thereby avoiding the buildup of pressure within the pipe work leading from the storage tank.

The invention will now be described by way of eX- ample with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical view, mainly in section, of a tap,

FIGURE 2 is a corresponding sectional view of an alternative form of control valve,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic diagram showing a system inciuding the tap shown in FIGURE l,

FIGURE 4 is a schematic diagram showing a system including a valve as shown in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 5 is a part sectional view of a deck pattern tap,

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of a spray attachment, and

FIGURE 7 is an exploded view, again in section, of the various parts of the spray attachment.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the main body of the tap 1 is provided with a discharge outlet 2 of known form for the discharge of water into a sink or wash basin or the like. The tap body 1 is of hollow construction and is internally screw-threaded at 3 to receive a manually adjustable valve head on which a sealing member 5 is mounted. A hollow tube 8 is tted into the neck 6 of the body 1, the neck 6 being internally screw-threaded at 7 and the tube 8 is secured at its upper end to a nut 9 which is externally screw-threaded for cooperation with Patented Sept. 30, 1969 ICC the internal screw-thread 7 of the body 1; the tube 8 constitutes an inlet pipe of the tap.

A second hollow tube 10 is mounted around the first tube 8 and is shorter than tube 8, There is defined an annular space 11 between the two tubes 8 and 10. An extension 12 of the body forms a housing between which and the tube 10 is defined a second annular space 13. The extension 12 is open to the outlet 2 at its upper end and is also open at its lower end. The extension 12 has an externally screw-threaded portion 14 on which :a nut 15 is fitted. The sink unit or like to which the tap is to be secured includes a ange which is located between the nut 15 and a shoulder 16 on the body 1.

A junction piece 17 is tted over the lower end of the extension 12 and is secured thereto by a compression fitting 18 and a screw-threaded washer 19 which is located on the outside of the junction piece 17 and has screwthreaded engagement therewith. The lower part of the junction piece 17 is sealed against the second pipe or tube 10 by means of a second compression fitting 20 and a washer 21 which again has screw-threaded engagement with the junction piece 17. Between the two compression ttings 18 and 20 the junction piece `17 is formed with a port 22 constituted by the bore of a projection 23 of the junction piece 17. The extension 23 is externally screw-threaded whereby it may be connected to a pipe leading from the outlet of a liquid, e.g. water heater.

The chamber 13 disposed between the outer surface of the second pipe 10 and the housing afforded by the extension 12 interconnects the outlet 2 and the port 22. The chamber 13 is closed at its lower end by means of the junction piece 17.

A similar junction piece 24 is secured to the pipe 10 at the lower end thereof by means of a compression tting 25 and =a Washer 27 which is screw-threaded internally for cooperation with external screw-threads on the junction piece 24. The junction piece 24 is connected by means of a compression fitting 26 and a screw-threaded washer 28 to the pipe 8. In this way the chamber 11 between the two pipes 8 and 10 is closed at its lower end.

A jointing member 29 is secured to the lower part of the pipe 8 and has a bore 30 extending therethrough. A restricting screw 31 is provided in the bore 30 of the jointing member 29 to control the rate of flow of water through the inlet 32 into the bore 33 of the pipe 8.

When water flows from the mains supply through the inlet 32 it passes up the central bore 33 of the pipe 8 to a valve seat 34 disposed at the upper end of the pipe 8 and constituted by part of the nut 9. The sealing member 5 is then lifted by rotation of the operating member so as to allow water to flow from the pipe 8 into a valve chamber 35. The nut 9 is formed with a series of ducts 36 -whereby the water can flow from the chamber 35, through the ducts 36, into the chamber 11 between the two tubes 8 and 10 and hence to a port 37 constituted by an extentension of the junction piece 24. The port 37 is connected to the inlet of a water heater and heated water flows from the heater to the tap through the port 22. From the port 22 the water flows into the chamber between the outer tube 10 and the extension 12 and thence to the discharge outlet 12 of the tap. Expansion water from the heater also passes through chamber 13 to the outlet 2.

In FIGURE 3 there is shown a hot water system which includes a tap as shown in FIGURE 1. Cold water from the mains supply ows along a feed line 38 and passes to a cold tap 39 and to a hot tap 40 via a line 41. The cold water flows past the restrictor 31 at the lower end of the tap and passes upwards through the central bore of the tap to the valve mechanism at the upper end of the bore. The water then flows from the tap through a feed line 42 to a heater 43 and heated water flows along line 44 into the tap 40 and then into the sink or wash basin.

The form of control valve shown in FIGURE 2 is intended to be used when the discharge outlet leading to the sink or wash basin is either remote from the valve or is common with that of a similar valve. The; valve body includes an internally screw-threaded portion 46 and an externally screw-threaded portion 47. A manually operable member is contained within a head 48 and a sealing member 49 is movable by means of the operating member within a chamber 60 within the valve body 45. The sealing member 59 is arranged to seal against a valve seat 50 and a screw-threaded washer 51 is threaded onto the externally screw-threaded portion 47 of the body 45 for securing the control valve to the flange of a sink unit or wash basin. A collar 45a: supporting the valve from the wash basin or sink unit is disposed about the valve body 45 and is freely movable relative thereto. The collar 45a may be made either of metal or of a synthetic plastics material. The body 45 may alternatively be provided with an integral collar portion.

A hollow pipe 52 passes through the hollow body 45 and is secured at its upper end to a nut which is externally screw-threaded and which affords the valve seat 50.

A junction piece 53 is fitted around the lower part of the pipe 52 and is clamped against the lower end of the valve body 45 by means of a compression fitting 54 and a screw-threaded washer 55, said washer 55 including an internally threaded portion which cooperates with an externally threaded portion of the junction piece 53. The junction piece 53 is also clamped to the tube or pipe 52 by a further compression fitting 56 and a screw-threaded washer or equivalent member 57 which is internally threaded for co-operation with the lower end of the junction piece 53 which is externally screw-threaded. An annular space 58 is defined between the pipe 52 on the one part and the housing afforded by the body 45 and the junction piece, 53 on the other part and this annular space 58 is arranged to be connected by means of a port 59 to a thermal storage heater or to a discharge pipe.

The jointing member 61 is secured to the base of the pipe defined by a further compression joint, the jointing member 61 being identical with that shown as 29 in FIG- URE 1 and including a restricting screw 31 for controlling the rate of flow of water into the pipe 52. With this control valve water flows through the inlet 52, the bore 3f) of the jointing member 61 and the bore 62 of the pipe 52 to the valve chamber 60. The sealing member 49 is moved out of engagement with the valve seat 50 allowing water to ow into the chamber and, from the chamber 60, through ducts 63 in the nut constituting the valve seat and thence to the annular space 58 between the pipe 52 and the body 45 and junction piece 53 to the outlet port 59 and thence to the water heater or discharge pipe.

A system into which the control valve shown in FIG- URE 2 may be fitted is illustrated in FIGURE 4.'The mains supply is introduced through a feed line 64 to` a cold valve 65 and a hot valve 66. The water to the hot valve 66 fiows through a feed line 67. From valve 66 the water is fed, on moving the closure member 49 out of engagement with the valve seat 50, to the water heater 68 via feed line 69. From the heater 68 the hot water flows to the central outlet 69 of the system through the line 70. The outlet line 71 from the cold valve 65 is connected to the line between the heater 68 and the outlet 69. In this way the volume and temperature of the water issuing 'through the outlet 69 is controlled by means of the two valves 65 and 66.

In both the tap shown in FIGURE l and valve shown in FIGURE 2 assembly and dismantling thereof is faciliated by the use of the junction pieces 17, 24 and 53 which are connected to the extension 12, the pipe 10 and the body 45 respectively to close the ends of said parts. By arranging for screw-threaded connections of the junction pieces to their associated members, rapid connections and disconnections can be effected.

In FIGURE 5 there is shown a deck pattern fitting 4 in which the hot tap, shown on the left hand side of FIGURE 5, is similar to that shown in FIGURE l. By a deck pattern fitting is meant one which is adapted to seat directly on the fiange or rim of a wash basin or sink.

The tap has an outlet 72 which connects the tap to the discharge outlet 73 of the fitting. The outlet 73 is also connected tot he cold tap 74 of the fitting. The outlet 73 may include a swivellable spout and the form of the outlet 73 may be as of any conventional forms at present 1n use.

Identical parts of the hot tap shown in FIGURE 5 to those of the tap shown in FIGURE l are indicated by like reference numerals. Water enters the tap through the central bore 33 of the inlet pipe 8 and passes into the chamber 35 upon movement of the closure member 5 out of engagement with the valve seat 34. The water then flows from valve 35 through the ducts 36 into the annular space 11 between the two pipes 8 and 10. The water flows from space 11 to a water heater as described above with reference to FIGURE 1 and then reenters the tap, flowing into the annular space 13 between the pipe 10 and the housing of the tap, from said space 13 the hot water flows to the outlet 72 of the tap and then to the outlet 73 of the fitting.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 there is shown a spray attachment which is particularly suitable for installation in the discharge outlet of the tap as shown in FIGURE l. The spray attachment includes an outer casing 75 which has an internally screw threaded portion 76. The outer casing 75 is arranged to receive a hollow body 77 which has a cylindrical throughbore 78 which, at its outer end is formed with a restriction and, at its inlet end, is internally threaded at 79. The body 77 includes an increased diameter portion 80 which is externally threaded and which terminates in an annular fiange 81. The annular flange 81 and the enlarged portion 80 are formed with a series of generally axial ducts 82 which terminate in nozzles in the outer face of the fiange 81. The thread of portion 80 of the body 77 cooperates with the thread 76 of the casing 75 whereby the body 77 may be secured in the casing to define an annular chamber 92 between the body and the casing.

An externally screw-threaded annular member 87 has a throughbore 88 and is arranged to have threaded engagernent with the portion 79 of the body 77 whereby the member 87 is secured to the body 77. The member 87 includes a generally cylindrical body portion having a iiange arranged to abut the end face of the body 77 and the member 87 has an extension 89 which is of reduced diameter and which extends towards the outlet end of the body 77.

A closure plug 83 having a head 84 with radial grooves 85 formed therein is pressed int a tube 86 of rubber or other elastomeric material which seals tightly around the plug 83. The rubber tube 86 is provided with small cut away portions at the end thereof adjacent the head 84 to enable the fiow of water between the end face of the tube 86 and the inner face of the head 84 of the plug 83. The rubber tube 86 is arranged to fit tightly around the extension 89 of the member 87 so that the inner end of the plug 83 closes the bore 88 of the member 87.

The assembled spray attachment is shown in FIG- URE 6 and the parts thereof are shown in FIGURE 7. The assembled attachment is fitted into an outlet at 90 and water enters the attachment through an annular port 91 into the chamber 92 defined by the body 77 and the casing 75. The water then passes from the chamber 92 through the ducts 82. If the ducts should b-ecome blocked the water pressure in the bore 88 of the member 87 is such as to cause the rubber tube 86 to expand axially whereby the plug 83 is moved out of engagement with the end of the extension 89 of the member 87. Water can then fiow through the bore 88 and between the plug 83 and the rubber tube 86 and through the cut aways in the tube into an annular space 93 between the tube 96 and the body 77. As radial grooves are formed in the head 84 water in the space 93 can ow through said radial groove 85 and thence through the outlet port 95 which is bounded by an inwardly directed lip 94.

The spray attachment thus enables expansion Water to ow from the heater and discharge through the port 95 if the ducts 82 are blocked. The expansion of the elastomeric tube 86 under slight pressure prevents the build up of pressure within the heater.

What I then claim is:

1. A control Valve which includes a housing having a vertically extending hollow bore, an inlet pipe in the hollow bore arranged coaxial with said bore, a second pipe coaxial with and on the outside of the inlet pipe to provide a rst annular chamber between said second pipe and the housing and a second annular chamber between the inlet pipe and the second pipe, valve means at the upper end of said inlet pipe for controlling the now of liquid from the inlet pipe into said second annular chamber, an outlet leading from said second annular chamber for the ilow of liquid to a thermal storage tank, an inlet communicating with lthe first annular chamber for receiving heated liquid from the storage tank and a discharge outlet for the discharge of the heated liquid from said first annular chamber.

2. A control valve according to claim 1 which includes a pair of junction pieces each for attachment to the second pipe, one of said junction pieces also being connected to the housing and the other of said junction pieces also being connected to the inlet pipe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,825,443 9/1931 Chormann et al. 137-334 XR 1,987,883 1/1935 White et al. 137-334 2,584,436 2/ 1952 Donaldson 137-610 XR 2,986,155 5/1961 Doyle 137-218 3,194,258 7/1965 Grant 137-218 XR 3,242,940 3/ 1966 Sirotck 137-218 20 SAMUEL SCOTT, Primary Examiner 

